September 2018 - Green Tree Home Care

What is osteoporosis and what can you do as a caregiver to help your loved one with osteoporosis?

In this post, I will go over what osteoporosis is and what the steps you can take to help.

Osteoporosis Definition

Your bone is a living and growing tissue that is constantly rebuilding itself.

As part of your bone wears away, another process in your body build up new bone tissue.

This process happens all throughout your life.

In osteoporosis, these processes become dysfunctional. In osteoporosis, bones wear away quicker and/or the corresponding function that builds new bone no longer work.

Thus, people with osteoporosis have bones that are porous, weak and which easily break.

In fact, the bones of people with osteoporosis can become so weak that something as simple as a cough or bending over can cause a fracture.

It doesn’t help that the chances of your elderly loved one falling also increase with age; further increasing the risk for broken bones.

About 54 million Americans are thought to have osteoporosis or are at risk for it.

Women are more likely to get osteoporosis than men. As a matter of fact, one in two women is at risk for osteoporosis whereas that ratio is one in four for men.

Caucasian and Asian women are at a higher risk of osteoporosis than women of other races.

Signs and symptoms of osteoporosis

Back pain
A loss of height over time
Bent over posture
Frequent fractures

What you can do as a caregiver to help

If you start noticing some of the symptoms above or your elderly loved one starts to get fractures after seemingly harmless tasks, it is time to consult with a doctor about osteoporosis. Doctors may conduct a bone density test to measure the amount of calcium and other bone-hardening minerals.
Encourage a healthy diet with an emphasis on calcium, Vitamin D and protein. These include:
- Sardines in oil with bones
- Milk
- Yogurt
- Cheese
- Eggs
- Kale
- Orange juice with added calcium
- Broccoli
- Almonds
- Okra
- Sesame
- Salmon with bones
Set up a safe home environment that decreases the risk of falls. Check out this post and this one on things you can do to keep the home safe for older adults.
If your elderly loved one smokes, you will have to encourage them to quit. Smoking causes the loss of bone. Quitting smoking removes that external pressure.
Encourage your loved one to keep a healthy weight through proper diet and light exercise. It’s important that the exercise your elderly loved one chooses is not one that can put strain on the bones. A walk through the neighborhood 30 minutes 3-4 times a weak is enough exercise. Exercise makes bones stronger. With proper diet, medication and moderate exercise, the effects of osteoporosis will be reduced. **Please talk to your elderly loved one’s doctor before starting an exercise regimen.
Drinking can also reduce bone mass. Encourage your loved one to reduce their alcohol intake or quit altogether.
If the doctor places your loved one on medications to help with osteoporosis, encourage them to stick with the medication schedule.

Closing Thoughts

As we get older, the risk for bone disease increases. For a female elderly loved one, this risk for osteoporosis is increased by a large margin compared to men.

And while all the underlying causes of osteoporosis are not fully understood, it is possible for you as a caregiver to help your loved one live a functional and productive life in spite of the disease.

Did you find this post helpful?

Consider sharing it with someone else who is looking for how they can help their elderly loved one with osteoporosis.

According to the United States Centers of Disease Control (CDC), falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among adults 65 and older.

So what can you do as a caregiver or as an older adult yourself to prevent these falls?

In this post, I will share how you can establish a fall prevention program that keeps older adults injury-free as much as possible.

Let’s delve right into it.

How To Establish A Fall Prevention For Your Elderly Loved One

Toileting Needs

Most people fall on their way to the bathroom. Thus as a caregiver, it may be important to establish a toileting schedule where you ask the older adult whether they have a need to go to the bathroom.

Offer your assistance during these scheduled bathroom breaks.

If your elderly loved one is not particularly excited about have scheduled bathroom breaks encourage them to ask for help when they do need to go to the bathroom.

If your elderly loved one has limited mobility and/or is bed-bound, consider a bedside commode.

Safety in the Bathroom

Keep your bathroom nice and safe by using items like:

Bathmats- these add friction to the shower and bathtub and avoid dangerous slips.
Shower chairs- so that your elderly loved one can sit safely during a shower/bath time.
Bathroom rails that they can grab onto in the bathroom.

Safety around the house

Your fall prevention program should also include safety all around the house.

Another place falls easily occur is the kitchen.

To promote independence, it is important that you encourage your elderly loved one to get involved in as many household activities as he or she wants.

It is important however that you encourage them to ask for help in places like the kitchen.

Place mats on the kitchen floor to promote add friction and decrease the likelihood of falls.

Spills should be cleaned up as soon as possible.

The edges of rugs in common areas should be trimmed or should have no frays as these can cause fall as well.

Keep walkways in the house lighted- even at night! Use night lights in your elderly loved one’s bedroom and in the path that leads to the bathroom.

In the bedroom, it may be helpful to lower the bed.

Dementia/Alzheimer’s Patients

An older adult with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease is likely to fall because they may be confused as to where they are going.

In addition to the fall prevention program components above, it may be helpful to constantly reorient older adults with dementia to their surroundings.

You can say things like “There is a staircase here so watch your step” or “The floor is slippery. Hold on a minute while I clean that up.”

If it is possible, a bedroom on the first floor is great for an older adult with dementia to prevent accidents that involve the staircase.

Extra Tips

Keep their eyeglasses within reach.
Keep assistive devices such as walkers and walking sticks within reach.
Consult with vision and hearing specialists if needed.
Keep furniture in the same position. If you switch furniture around, it is important that you reorient your elderly loved one until they get used to the new arrangement.
A loss of electrolytes can lead to confusion. It is therefore important that your elderly loved one is well hydrated and nourished.
Look into whether your elderly loved one needs an instant alert device such as Life alert so that they can call for help immediately they fall.

Closing Thoughts- Implementing a fall prevention program

Whether you are a family caregiver or a caregiver with an agency like Green Tree Home Care, it is important that there is a fall prevention program in place.

In this post, I have shared how you can prevent falls at home for your elderly loved one. I suggest that you print out this post and use it as a guide to design your own written fall prevention program.

Enjoyed this post?

Consider sharing it with someone else who is looking for tips on preventing falls at home.

Summer is gone. One of the best things about the Fall Season is the opportunity to volunteer.

If you live in San Diego and are looking for volunteer opportunities that allow seniors to serve their community, here are 8 opportunities are for you.

A huge benefit of volunteering is that it brings us into contact with other people, helps us get rid of boredom and helps us to live longer.

In fact, volunteering can even delay conditions like dementia.

Are you ready to wield this life-prolonging weapon?

Let’s get right into it.

8 Volunteer Opportunities for Seniors In San Diego

Pet/animal shelters

Organizations like the San Diego Humane Society and the San Diego County Animal Services are always looking for help with things that need to be done in and around the shelter.

If you’re a pet-lover, you can get in touch with them to find out how you can help.

Volunteer at Sports Events

The fall season also means they will be all kinds of team sports going on with the schools and within the community.

These events are always looking for volunteers who will help with tickets, organizing teams, clean-up etc.

Look at your local bulletin to find these events to volunteer for!

San Diego Audubon Society

The San Diego Audubon Society is a non-profit organization that promotes the conservation of birds and wildlife in and around San Diego county.

If you love animals, have a background in conservation science or would simply like to contribute to the good of our environment, the San Diego Audubon society is a place you can look up.

City of San Diego

The City of San Diego also has many opportunities for you to volunteers.

These programs include the Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol (RSVP). In this position, you will help area police stations perform vacation house checks, You are Not Alone checks and promote community awareness of the the RSVP program.

You will have to pass a background check and have a clean criminal record.

Go here to learn more about volunteering with the City of San Diego.

Meals on Wheels

Other elders struggle with insufficient food and just plan hunger.

As a Meals on Wheels volunteer, you will deliver meals to other seniors who live at home. These seniors struggle to get healthy cooked meals at home.

You will be alleviating hunger!

Go here to learn more about volunteering for Meals on Wheels in San Diego.

Keep someone else company

We all need someone else to keep us company. Why not volunteer by playing a game and keeping another senior company?

Volunteer at your retirement community

If you live in a retirement community, ask the activities coordinator if there is anything you can help with in and around your retirement community.

Perhaps you will be able to help with organizing events or helping other retirees with different activities.

Volunteer at area hospitals

A lot of hospitals in our area depend heavily on volunteers. Volunteers assist with activities like reading to children and the delivery of warm blankets to waiting patients.

If this is something you are interested in, get started by visiting websites of area hospitals.

Closing Thoughts

Volunteer opportunities are all around us!

If you are looking for a way to volunteer this Fall, here are 8 excellent ways for you to do so.

When it comes to home care medical supplies, most people are never sure what to expect.

Perhaps, your family is currently transitioning into a home care situation and you are not sure which supplies you need.

If you find yourself wondering what you need to get and even where you need to get it especially if you live in the Greater San Diego area, no need to worry!

In this blog post, we will go over what home care medical supplies you should have handy.

PLUS, give you a shortlist of area supply stores you can visit to find what you need.

Ready to dive in?

Let’s do it.

Home care medical supplies – Here’s what you really need

Specialized/Hospital bed

Not every senior will need a special bed but sometimes it becomes necessary if there is an underlying condition.

However, specialized beds can be good for several reasons:

They can be lowered, raised or reclined.
They are good if you are considering hiring a home caregiver through your local home care agency
Hospital beds are small, movable and can be easily maneuvered. You cannot do that with a traditional bed.
Specialized mattresses that are designed especially for these beds can also reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers as this study from Ghent University in Belgium showed.
Specialized beds typically come with side rail support to prevent falls.

Bedside support rail

Even if you choose to go with a traditional bed, you can still optimize it for safety.

One way you can do this is by getting a support rail to help prevent falls for your loved one.

Falls are a common health problem for seniors which can have devastating consequences.

Buying a support rail will help your loved one maneuver better in their bed and prevent them from falls and injuries.

Walker

Mobility is an issue for many older adults.

A walker will be helpful in helping your elderly loved one move around and get things done around the house independently.

Wheelchair

A wheelchair is another mobility aid that can increase the independence of your elderly loved one.

Shower chair

The shower is another place where falls can occur.

Taking a shower does not have to become a danger trap for an elder.

A shower chair can prevent that.

Staircase transport

It is best if you can customize the home so that your elderly loved one lives on the first/ground floor and doesn’t have to use the staircase.

However, I know that this may not be feasible for everyone.

In such instances, staircase transport support becomes imperative.

First aid kit

Every home needs a first aid kit!

According to the Red Cross, a good first aid kit should include:

2 absorbent compress dressings (5 x 9 inches)
25 adhesive bandages (assorted sizes)
1 adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 inch)
5 antibiotic ointment packets (approximately 1 gram)
5 antiseptic wipe packets
2 packets of aspirin (81 mg each) (PLEASE NOTE: Aspirin is not good for everyone. It is especially not advised if your loved one is on blood thinners or bleeds easily. Alternative pain killers include ibuprofen (e.g. Advil) and acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol).)
Blanket
1 breathing barrier (with one-way valve)
1 instant cold compress
2 pair of non-latex gloves (size: large)
2 hydrocortisone ointment packets (approximately 1 gram each)
Scissors
1 roller bandage (3 inches wide)
1 roller bandage (4 inches wide)
5 sterile gauze pads (3 x 3 inches)
5 sterile gauze pads (4 x 4 inches)
Oral thermometer (non-mercury/non-glass)
2 triangular bandages
Tweezers
First aid instruction booklet

Or you could just go to Wal-Mart or Target and pick one up!

Non-skid bathmats

These help prevent falls in the bathroom.

Compression garments

Compression garments are used in different kinds of situations but their main purpose is to encourage blood circulation.

A common type of compression garment is the compression socks. These can be worn just like regular rocks with daily shoes to improve circulation.

Find out from your loved one’s doctor if they need one.

Adult diapers/Disposable Under-pads

Extra adult briefs and disposable under-pads are must-have home care supplies if your elderly loved one has challenges with controlling bowel movements or urine.

Disposal under-pads are especially helpful for home caregivers when they need to change your loved one in keeping messes off the bed.

Home Care Medical Supplies Stores in Greater San Diego

Here is a shortlist of San Diego home care medical supplies stores in the Greater San Diego area.

San Diego Home Care Supplies

All Home Medical Supply

Harmony Home Medical

Advanced Medical

Closing Thoughts

Will you need all these items as you transition to home care?

Of course not!

Every individual needs something different and so you will get these items depending on your loved one’s particular needs.

This list is just to give you an idea of what items you may need to get.

If you found this post helpful, please consider sharing it someone else who needs this.

Summer is winding down to a close and the Fall season is upon us.

Bye bye lighter clothes; hello jackets that keep as nice and warm.

Unfortunately however, as the year winds down to a close, so does the incidence of the common cold.

And as advanced as medicine has become in the last 100 years, there is still no cure for a cold.

But there are things you can do to help you or your elderly loved one get over a cold quicker.

For your senior loved ones who have a generally weaker immune system, every little bit of help when it comes to preventing and fighting a cold is important.

In this post, we will go over ten home remedies for the common cold that you can try this season.

10 home remedies for the common cold that work

Break out the chicken soup

In a research study that was published in Chest, a journal which is put out by the American College of Chest Physicians, scientists showed that chicken soup is helpful in fighting the cold.

In that study, they showed that chicken soup prevented the movement of a type of immune cell that supports inflammation called neutrophils. By inhibiting the movement of neutrophils, chicken soup prevents inflammation and helps you fight off the cold faster.

If there ever was a reason to drink more chicken soup, here it is!

Ginger

Ginger has long used in traditional medical practices of many cultures. I remember back in the day, my grandmother would actually give me raw ginger to chew when I had a cold. I don’t recommend it but it sure was effective!

Ginger contains a chemical called 6-gingerol. According to a study published by the Natural Products Communications Journal, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

This means that drinking ginger tea or consuming something with ginger in it when you have a cold will help your immune system better fight off the cold virus.

Citrus

You have probably heard the advice to drink orange juice when you have a cold.

This is accurate. Citrus plants like oranges, lemons and limes are rich in vitamin C.

Vitamin C is excellent at boosting your immune system which is exactly what you need to fight off a cold.

Blow your nose regularly- but in the right way

Blowing your nose to get rid of mucus that is blocking your airways is helpful in helping you recover quickly from a cold.

It is however important that you blow your nose the right way.

If you/your elderly loved one has recently had surgery, blowing your nose too hard is not advisable.

Go to bed early

Getting adequate sleep is important to your overall well-being; and especially during a cold.

Getting to bed early when you have a cold can be a game changer.

Honey

We will forever be grateful to bees for providing us with honey.

Honey contains several antimicrobial agents that will help you fight off your cold. Additionally, it is well known in research to be a cough suppressant.

But not all honey is created equal. Some brands of honey are 50% sugar syrup!

Make sure whatever you buy is 100% pure honey so you can get all the benefits.

READ A RELATED POST: How to get ready for flu season

Use salt water as a nose rise

Salt water helps to break up the congestion and removes mucus, bacteria and viral particles from your nose.

To prepare your own home nose rinse, mix a quarter teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of baking soda in water.

Using a bulb syringe and holding one nostril closed, rinse your open nostril 2-3 times.

Repeat for your other nostril.

Stay warm

As I mentioned above, cold weather brings the cold along with it.

Keeping warm during this time will help you recover faster.

Drink hot fluids

Still with the theme of keeping warm, drink hot fluids.

Hot fluids also can help with breaking up mucus and relieving congestion.

Hot tea and hot chocolate are excellent choices.

Try over the counter cold and cough medications

Last but not least, there is no rule that says you cannot pop into your local pharmacy and grab some over-the-counter medication to help with your cold.

A lot of the over-the-counter cold medications typically contain acetaminophen which helps with all those aches and pains. It is also likely to contain an antihistamine such as diphenhydramine which helps with congestion and suppresses any cough you might have with the cold.

Antihistamines also help with sleep- which as we discussed above is important to helping you heal.

Closing Thoughts

The common cold is annoyingly uncomfortable.

But at least once this season, they may be a few days you come down with it.

In this post, I have armed you with 10 home remedies for the common cold that are proven to work.

Did you enjoy this post?

Share it with someone else as we draw closer to Fall!

Back pain is a common complaint for a lot of people.

In fact, it is so common, it can be easy to ignore back pain.

Statistically, 80% of adults will complain of back pain in their lifetimes.

For older adults, the pain can be jokingly dismissed as “old age problems”. But is this always the case?

Should we be paying more attention to back pain and what it means for our elderly loved ones’ health?

Just because the pain is common does not mean you have to live with it.

In this post, we will talk about some of the common causes of back pain and how you as a caregiver (or older adult yourself) can keep this problem at bay.

Causes of Back Pain

Back pain may occur for many reasons, including:

Sharp back pain can occur as a result of lifting heavy objects.
Traumatic injuries from accidents can also cause back pain.
Disc degeneration – This happens when the rubbery discs in between the bones of your spine (vertebra) begin to wear away due to old age. Normally, these rubbery discs will support the movement and pressure of the spine. When they wear down, bones begin to rub against each other and stiffness can also happen.
Herniated or ruptured discs – This happens when the rubbery discs we learned of above protrude or become compressed.
“Pinched” nerves/Nerve damage – If some some reason the nerves to your spine/back become compressed, this can also contribute to back pain. Inflammation or an injury could cause this.
Sciatica – This a form of “pinched” nerve that specifically affects the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is a large nerve that travels through the buttocks to the back of the leg.
Spinal irregularities – Any curvature of the spine can also cause pain.
Spondylolisthesis – This is a condition in which a vertebra of the lower spine slips out of place, pinching the nerves exiting the spinal column.
Excessive weight which puts stress on back muscles can also cause back pain.

Most of these causes of back pain are issues that can be handled with at home therapy or with the help of a chiropractor/osteopathic practitioner.

Sometimes however, back pain may simply be a symptom of a much larger problem.

It is always best to check and make sure so any serious condition such as an infection, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia or even cancer of the spine is not responsible for the pain.

Preventing Back Pain

In the case of back pain that is dependent on an existing medical condition, treatment of the condition will usually help to alleviate the pain.

Treatment may involve surgery and prescription medication.

There are simple practices however that can help you or your elderly loved one keep back pain at bay for as long as possible.

Always stretch before exercise or any strenuous activity.
Don’t lift heavy objects. If you do need to lift, use proper body mechanics. Instead of bending your back to pick objects up, lower your entire body and lift objects up using your knees as support.
Do not slouch when you’re sitting or standing.
Place back support on your chairs to help with posture when you sit.
Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes.
Eat a healthy, balanced diet to prevent excessive weight gain which can put stress and strain on your back muscles.
Exercise regularly. This keeps the blood flowing and muscles healthy. Additionally, exercise releases endorphins. Endorphins are natural “painkillers” which give people a great sense of well-being.
Quit smoking. Smoking reduces blood flow to the lower spine. Decreased blood flow to the lower spine can contribute to spinal disc degeneration. Smoking also increases the risk of osteoporosis and impedes healing. Smoke-induced coughing can cause back pain as well.

As a caregiver, these are all things you can encourage your elderly loved one to do to help prevent back pain and keep a healthy back.

If you found this post useful, please consider sharing it with someone else who needs advice on how to prevent back pain.

Pneumonia is an infection of the lung that occurs when the immune system is weak.

This infection affects the air sacs of the lung and can cause them to be filled with fluid or pus.

It is as horrible as it sounds and as a caregiver or adult child of an elder, this is one post you should pay attention to especially as flu season draws near.

As we grow older, our immune systems become weaker.

This makes your elderly loved one especially prone to microbial infections including pneumonia.

In this post we talk about what you can do as a caregiver or relative to prepare your elderly loved one for the flu season.

Flu season occurs between October and April each year.

Coincidentally, pneumonia is also at its’ peak during this season of the year.

Thus, as you think about protecting yourself and your loved one from the flu this year, it is also important that you know pneumonia symptoms, so you can protect against that as well.

Pneumonia symptoms in older adults – What you should know

Look out for these pneumonia symptoms so you can act quickly.

Complaints of chest pain when they breathe or cough
Confusion and changes in mental awareness especially in adults older than 65
Shortness of breath
Nausea and vomitting
Diarrhea
Fever
Shaking chills
Sweating
Extreme tiredness/fatigue
Cough that may produce mucus and in severe cases pus

It is easy to dismiss any one of these symptoms.

But please err on the side of caution when it comes to pneumonia.

If your elderly loved one is exhibiting a combination of any of the above symptoms and it persists for more than 2 days, it is important that you see a doctor immediately.

Because pneumonia can be caused by a bacteria or virus, the earlier these “bugs” are treated, the better.

What you can do

What can you do to help your elderly loved one with pneumonia?

Encourage your loved one to see a doctor if they have persistent fever over 102F and a persistent cough or are coughing up pus.

If the doctors do determine that it is pneumonia, your loved one will most likely be given antibiotics/antimicrobial to help clear the infection.

Depending on the stage of the disease, hospitalization may not be necessary.

However, you will need to isolate them to prevent it from spreading to the whole family.

Keep them in a private room.
Encourage them to cover their mouth when coughing.
Wash bed-sheets and clothes as soon as they come out of the private room.
Keep younger children away from the sick elder. Younger children also tend to have vulnerable immune systems.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water if you touch your elderly loved one with pneumonia.

Preventing Pneumonia

There are vaccines available against pneumonia.

Elders can receive vaccines around the same time they receive the flu vaccine.

Ask your healthcare provider about the pneumonia vaccine for your elderly loved one.

Another way to keep pneumonia away is to stay away from sick people.

Pneumonia is able to attack the lungs when immune defenses are down.

By staying away from people who are already sick, you keep yourself from causing a breakdown in your immune system in the first place.

During the winter, make sure your loved one is kept as warm as possible in their home.

Last but not least, it is important that you keep your immune system on the up and up by consuming more foods with vitamin C- which can be found abundantly in oranges, limes, kiwi, broccoli and strawberries. Moderate exercise also keeps your immune system healthy and ready to fight invaders.

Closing Thoughts

As a caregiver, you can limit the incidence of pneumonia for your elderly loved one.

In this post, I shared pneumonia symptoms you should look out for and what you can do help your elderly loved one with pneumonia.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing it with someone else as we get closer to that part of the year.